Bukit Lawang rehabilitation center for orangutans was founded in 1973. The main purpose is to preserve the decreasing number of orangutan population due to hunting, trading and deforestation.

A flash flood hit Bukit Lawang on 2 November 2003.[1] The disaster destroyed the local tourist resorts and had a devastating impact to the local tourism industry in the area. Around 400 houses, 3 mosques, 8 bridges, 280 kiosks and food stalls, 35 hotels and guest houses were destroyed by the flood, including 239 people (5 of them were tourists) were killed and around 1,400 locals lost their homes.[2] Local authorities and an environmental NGO attributed it to illegal logging.[3] Thanks to several international cooperation agencies, the site was rebuilt and re-opened again in July 2004.[4]